I have very recently found myself invited to activities centered around members of Regnum Christi and also Tradition, Family, and Property. One was a book study on "Momnipotent" by Danielle Bean, that one was hosted by Regnum Christi people. I will not continue it because, well, the title of the book says it all. I don't feel a need for Danielle Bean in my life.

The next was just a Bible study, "Come, Lord Jesus", hosted by Tradition Family and Property people. I did some internet research on each of these groups, and now I am very uncomfortable associating with either one. I don't feel a need to be anything other than just Catholic.

It would be easy to just cut ties and say "No, Thank you." But many of the participants in these groups are people who are in our homeschooling group who I will be seeing on a regular basis in the coming school year. I may have to discuss my objections with them. Any experience or advice?

Regnum Christi is under something of a shadow because of its connection with the Legionaires of Christ, but they are still in the good graces of the Church. AFAIK the Church has never had significant issues with TFP. That doesn't mean either one is right for you.

Sorry it's taken me a long time to respond. Lots of discussion going on around here about this.

In short, I am very uncomfortable with the notion of an organization which puts itself forth as very important or sometimes necessary for salvation in addition to simply being a Catholic and adhering to the precepts of the church. The TFP's website is very open about it's founder's philosophy of Revolution and Counter-Revolution. It claims to be a "Catholic-inspired civic organization". Fine, legal. But it's the history of cult of personality, and also the enormous self importance of the organization, which was and still seems to be intrinsic to the group which just says "moonies" to me. I have no need for this in my life, so I can easily just stay away from it and just continue navigating my own Catholic faith without them.

Regnum Christi, in it's local manifestation, where I live, is almost as creepy to me. Fine, I don't have to join. I don't like being sort of tricked into attending a meeting which turns out to be "oh by the way, most of us are Regnum Christi". There's an odd emphasis on recruiting, and on monitoring members to the extent of inspecting their closets, and grading students at the local Regnum Christi school on the intimate details of their prayer life and walk with God. Not cool. Could be just a local thing.

Both organizations seem to circle around members and isolate them from family, and create a sense of being the few with special knowledge- gnostic. TFP even refers to disapproving parents of it's members as "Fount of My Revolution" or "FMR" for short.

Just two days ago, a friend told me of narrowly escaping an attempt by a man, who happens to be Regnum Christi, to take her son into his home to live there to be mentored to become a business leader. She was warned by another mom just in time. This other mom had allowed her son to be taken in by this man, and the man had nearly brain washed him, seperating him from his family and convincing him that his family had been bad for him and to stay away from him, as well as filling his head full of insidious ideas. (The man and his wife both turned out to be abusive towards their own family, I amnot sure if the boys in their home in this program have been or are being abused.) This boy has fortunately escaped and is going to be spending some time with some trusted monks, (not sure what order), to try to re-navigate the path of his life. I know both of these moms, and have heard the stories first hand from each one, separately and coincidentally.

These organizations have an interesting tendency to target wealthy, influential, orthodox Catholics, then isolate them, take over their time and their money, and keep them in a state of fear of leaving. We are neither wealthy nor influential, which I think has kept us safe.

Anyway, the whole thing bothers me, and I will stay away. I am not sure how any of this is OK with the church however, and it does affect my feeling of trusting friendship with those people I know to be involved.